MAN urges FG to harmonise checklist of MDAs

[MrVan]

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

The Ikeja branch of the Manufacturers' Association of Nigeria, MAN, has urged the Federal Government to take steps to harmonise the checklist of its various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to eliminate incidence of multiple visits to factories and duplication of duties.

The Association's Chairman, Rev. Isaac Ade Agoye, who made the call in his welcome speech at the 45th Annual General Meeting of the Association in Lagos, said "the government needs to urgently and seriously consider putting in place a mechanism that will bring down the cost of doing business and enhance competitiveness."

Besides, he stated that steps must be taken to ensure a reduction in inflation, foreign exchange and interest rate through formulation of good monetary policies by the federal government, while also advocating a check on the inflow of fake, sub-standard and contraband goods into the country.

Lamenting the slow pace of growth in the manufacturing sector, he said that government's efforts at transforming the manufacturing sector during the year recorded marginal success as a result of the magnitude of accumulated challenges in the economy and poor implementation of policies in the past.

He stated that at 52 years of nationhood, the country was still grappling with unemployment, insecurity, high level of crime and abject poverty due to failure of the real sector.

He said, "The manufacturing sector did not fair well in 2012 as a result of unfriendly business environment and the perennial problems associated with the real sector.

"In the last few years, a large number of manufacturing companies have closed shops nationwide. The ever busy industrial estates are now shadows of their past glory."

He noted that for the nation to rise above all its challenges and join the league of developed nations, the manufacturing sector must be empowered, while businesses and products must be encouraged to be of international              standard.

In his address, the MAN President, Chief Kola Jamodu, said that the inability of the government to extract optimum benefits from international trade agreements has compounded the unfriendly investment climate in the nation, resulting in smuggling, dumping, unemployment and dwindling foreign direct investment.

Vanguard Nigeria